# Bicycle tax



## MMM_donuts

This has been brought up many times and Baja mentioned it again in a recent thread so I thought I'd ask your opinion of it.

Would you support a bicycle tax? If so, how would you implement and enforce it?

Isn't this counterintuitive to the obesity problems we're experiencing in our country? Especially with children? Would you make it an age thing? Only on certain roads?


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## Larry Gude

No and hell no and anyone who thinks more taxes are the answer to ANYTHING is a dumb ass. Or a 'progressive'. But, I repeat myself. 

In any event, bikes are NOT a problem and if you give them ANY credit for the reduced wear and tear on infrastructure, not to mention reduced emissions and potential health cost savings, if anything, we ought to be discussing tax CREDITS for cyclists. Especially cyclists with motors on their cycles.


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## DEEKAYPEE8569

Larry Gude said:


> No and hell no and anyone who thinks more taxes are the answer to ANYTHING is a dumb ass. Or a 'progressive'. But, I repeat myself.
> 
> In any event, bikes are NOT a problem and if you give them ANY credit for the reduced wear and tear on infrastructure, not to mention reduced emissions and potential health cost savings, if anything, we ought to be discussing tax CREDITS for cyclists. Especially cyclists with _motors on their cycles_.


 That sounds like a moped.....or is it mo-ped?


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## DEEKAYPEE8569

MMM_donuts said:


> This has been brought up many times and Baja mentioned it again in a recent thread so I thought I'd ask your opinion of it.
> 
> Would you support a bicycle tax? If so, how would you implement and enforce it?
> 
> Isn't this counterintuitive to the obesity problems we're experiencing in our country? Especially with children? Would you make it an age thing? Only on certain roads?



WHO is thinking about taxing bicycles? Lemme guess.....Owe'Malley.....right? Just one more tax to add to his laundry list, I guess.

 Four more years til I can retire early and get the H*ll outta here.
Won't get here soon enough.


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## Baja28

MMM_donuts said:


> This has been brought up many times and Baja mentioned it again in a recent thread so I thought I'd ask your opinion of it.
> 
> Would you support a bicycle tax? If so, how would you implement and enforce it?
> 
> Isn't this counterintuitive to the obesity problems we're experiencing in our country? Especially with children? Would you make it an age thing? Only on certain roads?


I don't know that "bicycle tax" is the correct term to use. 

What I would suggest is; if they wish to ride on the road (or shoulder), they should be required to register the bike (for a fee) and have insurance.  They will carry the registration and insurance card just like any motorist is required to do.  

Since I believe some of the tax we pay on a gallon of gas also goes to road maintenance/construction, they should also pay a small fee for that too (maybe it could be included in the registration fee).

You would not be required to register your bike if it is not ridden on the road.


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## Gilligan

Larry Gude said:


> Especially cyclists with motors on their cycles.



Yep, especially them.


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## MMDad

Baja28 said:


> I don't know that "bicycle tax" is the correct term to use.
> 
> What I would suggest is; if they wish to ride on the road (or shoulder), they should be required to register the bike (for a fee) and have insurance.  They will carry the registration and insurance card just like any motorist is required to do.
> 
> Since I believe some of the tax we pay on a gallon of gas also goes to road maintenance/construction, they should also pay a small fee for that too (maybe it could be included in the registration fee).
> 
> You would not be required to register your bike if it is not ridden on the road.



What liability do you see a bicycle causing that would justify insurance? Since I have been hit by a cyclist, I understand exactly what they can do. But enough to justify an insurance requirement? No.

Bikes get cars off the road. They reduce wear on the road.

Many places require registration of bikes, but all that does is put money in the hands of an incompetent government. What is the benefit of registration?


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## dave1959

I already paid a tax on my bikes, when I bought them !


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## vraiblonde

Please god, no more taxes.


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## Larry Gude

Baja28 said:


> I don't know that "bicycle tax" is the correct term to use.
> 
> What I would suggest is; if they wish to ride on the road (or shoulder), they should be required to register the bike (for a fee) and have insurance.  They will carry the registration and insurance card just like any motorist is required to do.
> 
> Since I believe some of the tax we pay on a gallon of gas also goes to road maintenance/construction, they should also pay a small fee for that too (maybe it could be included in the registration fee).
> 
> You would not be required to register your bike if it is not ridden on the road.



There is no better example of what is wrong with us when you, of all people, reflexively see MORE government as the solution to a problem. Taxes. Registration. Good god, man.


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## MMM_donuts

DEEKAYPEE8569 said:


> WHO is thinking about taxing bicycles? Lemme guess.....Owe'Malley.....right? Just one more tax to add to his laundry list, I guess.
> 
> Four more years til I can retire early and get the H*ll outta here.
> Won't get here soon enough.



No, no, no, I've not seen it anywhere in the news or anything (not that I would be surprised if it were, though) but I see it often brought up in forum discussions and comments.  It's often in the form of something like "unless they help pay for the roads then they shouldn't be on them."


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## MMM_donuts

Baja28 said:


> I don't know that "bicycle tax" is the correct term to use.
> 
> What I would suggest is; if they wish to ride on the road (or shoulder), they should be required to register the bike (for a fee) and have insurance.  They will carry the registration and insurance card just like any motorist is required to do.
> 
> Since I believe some of the tax we pay on a gallon of gas also goes to road maintenance/construction, they should also pay a small fee for that too (maybe it could be included in the registration fee).
> 
> You would not be required to register your bike if it is not ridden on the road.



Would you have parents register their children's bikes and have them get a special bicycle insurance for riding up and down residential streets?  Say, like to and from the elementary school to their home?  We often see that in Wildewood.  We have a pedestrian/bicycle lane that's basically the shoulder of the road.


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## Baja28

MMM_donuts said:


> Would you have parents register their children's bikes and have them get a special bicycle insurance for riding up and down residential streets?  Say, like to and from the elementary school to their home?  We often see that in Wildewood.  We have a pedestrian/bicycle lane that's basically the shoulder of the road.


Good question.  I'll have to think on that.  

The fee I'm envisioning is for the ass holes that ride in the lanes of the road.  That needs to stop and stop now.  I have no issue with the ones that ride on the shoulder, off the roadway.  If there's no shoulder, no bikes. 
The driving factor behind my opinion is all these "SHARE THE ROAD" signs and meme's.  Eff them!  Stay the eff off MY road that you didn't pay for (I'll let you use my shoulder as long as you don't crowd the white line).


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## Baja28

MMDad said:


> What liability do you see a bicycle causing that would justify insurance? Since I have been hit by a cyclist, I understand exactly what they can do. But enough to justify an insurance requirement? No.
> Bikes get cars off the road. They reduce wear on the road.
> Many places require registration of bikes, but all that does is put money in the hands of an incompetent government. What is the benefit of registration?





Larry Gude said:


> There is no better example of what is wrong with us when you, of all people, reflexively see MORE government as the solution to a problem. Taxes. Registration. Good god, man.


See post 13.


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## glhs837

Damn cyclist in VA Beach hit my car and caused $1300 in damage.


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## MMM_donuts

Well it turns out that my friend and coworker comes from a place that required bicycle registration.  When he was growing up he had to take his bike over to the fire department, register the serial number, and get a little sticker for his bike.  And he had to pay a few dollars to have it done.  So, I guess it's not really a new thing.


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## MMDad

MMM_donuts said:


> Well it turns out that my friend and coworker comes from a place that required bicycle registration.  When he was growing up he had to take his bike over to the fire department, register the serial number, and get a little sticker for his bike.  And he had to pay a few dollars to have it done.  So, I guess it's not really a new thing.



I had to do that in CO and CA. But that was for theft prevention, not to pay for the "damage" that bikes do to the road.

Really, the idea that bikes put any wear and tear on roads is just silly.

It's amazing how people who claim to be so conservative suddenly see something that affects them and they suddenly scream "there oughtta be a law!!!"


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## Baja28

MMDad said:


> I had to do that in CO and CA. But that was for theft prevention, not to pay for the "damage" that bikes do to the road.
> 
> Really, the idea that bikes put any wear and tear on roads is just silly.
> 
> It's amazing how people who claim to be so conservative suddenly see something that affects them and they suddenly scream "there oughtta be a law!!!"


Who brought up wear & tear on the road?  I sure as hell didn't.  I stated my reasons in post 13.  They want to share MY road, they should pay.


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## MMDad

Baja28 said:


> Since I believe some of the tax we pay on a gallon of gas also goes to road maintenance/construction, they should also pay a small fee for that too (maybe it could be included in the registration fee).





Baja28 said:


> Who brought up wear & tear on the road?  I sure as hell didn't.  I stated my reasons in post 13.  They want to share MY road, they should pay.



What do you think the gas tax is supposed to fund? It's your share of the wear and tear on the road. If you want bikes to share that cost what else could you possibly mean?


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## Baja28

MMDad said:


> What do you think the gas tax is supposed to fund? It's your share of the wear and tear on the road. If you want bikes to share that cost what else could you possibly mean?


Ok I see where you got that. 
The fund builds and maintains roads. Bikes contribute nothing, they don't get to use the road.  It wasn't built for them.


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## Makavide

Baja28 said:


> Who brought up wear & tear on the road?  I sure as hell didn't.  I stated my reasons in post 13.  They want to share MY road, they should pay.



Let me know which road is yours, and I will stay off it.

But considering vehicle registration fees and the gas tax does not cover the complete cost of road maintenance, car drivers are not the only ones paying for the upkeep.  So I will ride, my bike, on our roads.


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## Midnightrider

Baja28 said:


> Ok I see where you got that.
> The fund builds and maintains roads. Bikes contribute nothing, they don't get to use the road.  It wasn't built for them.



it actaully was built for them. In fact the law already limits on which roads a bike can lawfully be ridden. You guys biatching about bikes on back roads need to understand that many of those back roads are offical bike routes. The state wants to keep bikes off the hgihways most of the time. Persoanlly i dont like to ride a bike on roads without shoulders. However, if you are trying to get from point A to point B you are likely going to have to ride down a road with no shoulder. The alternative is making expensive bike lanes and dedicated routes. Also, most cyclists are also drivers, they pay their share of taxes....


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## MMDad

Baja28 said:


> Ok I see where you got that.
> The fund builds and maintains roads. Bikes contribute nothing, they don't get to use the road.  It wasn't built for them.



Gas tax pays about $5 Million of the $3 Billion MD spends on transportation. The rest of the funds come from sources that hit bikes just as hard as cars. They pay the same sales tax. They pay income, property, rain, and all the other taxes the rest of us do. The only thing they don't pay is registration and title. Bikes do pay their share for building and maintaining roads.

If you want to go after someone, go after the Amish.


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## Midnightrider

MMDad said:


> Gas tax pays about $5 Million of the $3 Billion MD spends on transportation. The rest of the funds come from sources that hit bikes just as hard as cars. They pay the same sales tax. They pay income, property, rain, and all the other taxes the rest of us do. The only thing they don't pay is registration and title. Bikes do pay their share for building and maintaining roads.
> 
> If you want to go after someone, *go after the Amish*.



makes more sense, at least they cause damage to the road....


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## TPD

MMDad said:


> If you want to go after someone, go after the Amish.





Midnightrider said:


> makes more sense, at least they cause damage to the road....



Let's not forget about the farmers with their huge ass combines & tractors plying our local roads…

Really, every time I see a thread about bicycles, I am amazed with the amount of hatred towards them.  Runners & walkers and those pushing baby strollers not so much, though they use the same roads in the same manner.


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## Midnightrider

TPD said:


> Let's not forget about the farmers with their huge ass combines & tractors plying our local roads…
> 
> Really, every time I see a thread about bicycles, I am amazed with the amount of hatred towards them.  Runners & walkers and those pushing baby strollers not so much, though they use the same roads in the same manner.


there is a small minority of extremely douchie cyclists. I ride and I still occasionally come across a fellow cyclist that I want to put in a ditch. One of the more annoying things I have seen was a group riding in the travel lane when they had a full paved shoulder to use. 

Those types of riders give us a bad name.


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## DoWhat

Midnightrider said:


> Those types of riders give us a bad name.



Yes they do.


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## PeoplesElbow

Baja28 said:


> I don't know that "bicycle tax" is the correct term to use.
> 
> What I would suggest is; if they wish to ride on the road (or shoulder), they should be required to register the bike (for a fee) and have insurance.  They will carry the registration and insurance card just like any motorist is required to do.
> 
> Since I believe some of the tax we pay on a gallon of gas also goes to road maintenance/construction, they should also pay a small fee for that too (maybe it could be included in the registration fee).
> 
> You would not be required to register your bike if it is not ridden on the road.



Define road,  are kids allowed to ride tricycles in front of their house without registering them?


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## Larry Gude

This treads ties in nicely with the anti E cig tread http://forums.somd.com/threads/292323-Here-we-go-again-it-s-only-a-matter-of-time 

Fact of the matter is that, left, right, we are a nation of freaks who just want to control one another. We have this sort of governance because we like it. 

When some freak says "You can only have a 22 ounce soda" or "no e cigs" or any of this other personal liberty stuff, we should react like someone just suggested a silly, stupid idea but, we don't. Because we don't think it is silly or stupid. We like it.


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## Larry Gude

PeoplesElbow said:


> Define road,  are kids allowed to ride tricycles in front of their house without registering them?



Of course not. Why should some kid be allowed to get in my way or leave their toy out so I trip over it when I am text-walking on MY sidewalk? Let them get a job, pay their taxes and get their OWN sidewalk! We should have some way of tracking down the offender(s) so we can fine them. Or tax them. Or something. We let them do that, pretty soon, they'll be out their racing one another or making little ramps or otherwise acting like kids and having fun. And annoying me.


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